Monday, February 28, 2011

UK cricketer Steven Davies comes out

The England wicketkeeper Steven Davies has announced he is gay – becoming the first professional cricketer to publicly out himself.

The 24-year-old Surrey player said he had decided to make the announcement after months of personal conflict.

In a frank and moving interview with today’s Daily Telegraph, Davies, who started his professional cricketing career with Worcestershire when he was 18, said he could no longer bear to lie about his sexuality.

Davies, who told his family he was gay five years ago and has enjoyed their complete support, said it was a huge relief to finally come clean and be honest with the wider public.

"I'm comfortable with who I am - and happy to say who I am in public," Davies said.

And he said he hoped his decision would help other young gay people to have the confidence to follow in his footsteps.

He explained: “This is the right time for me…I feel it is right to be out in the open about my sexuality. If more people do it, the more acceptable it will become. That must be a good thing.

"To speak out is a massive relief for me, but if I can just help one person to deal with their sexuality then that's all I care about.